Flex circuit sensor array for surface unsteady pressure measurements

The design of a high spatial resolution, flex pressure sensor array was presented. It was constructed to measure the unsteady surface pressures acting on the IGVs of a transonic compressor rig. The sensor arrays were constructed of two thin, flexible, circuit substrates adhered to two IGVs and mounted with 30 high-frequency response pressure transducers each. A significant cost saving of 44% in instrumentation of the IGV was realized over traditional instrumentation methods along with substantial benefits in the handling of the sensor wiring.